American Association of People with Disabilities
AAPD is a national disability membership organisation focused on increasing the political and economic power of people with disabilities, with a particular emphasis on civic engagement, voting rights, and economic advancement.
About the American Association of People with Disabilities
Founded in 1995, AAPD was established to build the collective power of people with disabilities through membership, advocacy, and economic development. AAPD's approach emphasises disability as a diverse, cross-cutting identity that intersects with race, gender, sexuality, and other aspects of identity — reflected in AAPD's leadership, which has prioritised disability leadership from communities of colour.
What they do
AAPD's primary focus areas are civic engagement, economic empowerment, and cross-disability solidarity.
Civic engagement: AAPD runs voter registration and get-out-the-vote campaigns in the disability community, working to increase disability political participation. People with disabilities are one of the largest constituencies in the US, but voting rates lag behind the general population, partly due to barriers at polling places and with mail voting.
Economic empowerment: AAPD's work on employment, business development, and corporate engagement aims to increase economic opportunity for people with disabilities. AAPD has worked with major corporations on disability inclusion as a business strategy.
Policy advocacy: AAPD advocates on a range of disability rights issues at the federal level, with particular attention to ADA enforcement, healthcare, and employment.
Key programs and resources
- REV UP Campaign: Register! Educate! Vote! Use your Power — disability voter registration and civic engagement
- Disability Inclusion Internship Programme: Placements with congressional offices and advocacy organisations
- Annual Award for Excellence in Leadership recognising disabled leaders
Who they serve
People with disabilities across all disability types and ages, with a specific focus on adults engaged in civic life.
Why it matters
In a political environment where disability rights are often an afterthought, AAPD's voter mobilisation work and political advocacy ensure that disability concerns are part of electoral and policy conversations. Their emphasis on cross-disability solidarity and intersectionality addresses the reality that disability affects people of all backgrounds disproportionately.